The Jewish Christianity in the First Century

This book provides a comprehensive exploration of the historical development of Jewish Christianity and the subsequent transformation of Christianity through the early centuries of the Common Era, particularly from the first to the tenth century. Beginning with the foundations of Jewish Christianity in the first century AD, it tracks the growth of Christianity as a distinct religious movement amidst tensions with Judaism and the surrounding Roman world.
The narrative delves into the influence of Hellenism, the theological debates of early Christians, and the gradual separation between Jewish and Gentile Christian practices. As the Christian faith spreads through the Roman Empire, the book examines the rise of Christian orthodoxy, the establishment of the Nicene Creed, and the role of early Church figures such as the apostles, Paul, and the Church Fathers in shaping Christian doctrine.
In its later chapters, the book focuses on the role of the Church during the fall of the Western Roman Empire, highlighting the centralization of power in the papacy, the rise of monasticism, and the consolidation of Christianity under the protection of the state, particularly under Emperor Constantine. It also discusses the Christianization of Europe, including the conversion of barbarian tribes and the formation of Christian kingdoms, as well as the development of the medieval Church's social, cultural, and political influence.
The book concludes by exploring the rise of medieval Christianity in the post-Roman world, with the papacy asserting itself as a spiritual and temporal authority, and the transformation of Europe into a Christianized continent during the early Middle Ages. Through an in-depth analysis of key theological, political, and social developments, this book traces how Christianity, once a small Jewish sect, came to dominate the religious, cultural, and intellectual life of Europe, shaping the foundations of Western civilization.